I have been building and working on custom cars and trucks since I was in my teens. Before that I had worked around and on my dads dirt race cars, drag race cars, race boats, and whatever else he was building for the street. I learned alot about engines, suspensions and all other aspects of automotive related parts. I have always driven some form of lowered, or otherwise custom truck.
I started my custom business in 1994. It had a few names the first couple of years and finally my good friend Michael H. came up with Barnyard Customs in 1997. I had this as a side thing while I had a regular job. We just came out to the shop to build our own stuff and sometimes do some small things for other guys rides. I built trucks and did bag jobs and custom bodywork and built a few rides of my own.
I started building tubular control arms in the early 90s and then later on my own truck, the Dawgsled. I had people ask about these and started making them for other people soon after that. This turned into a fulltime business in September 2004. I sold my 18 wheeler and got out to the BYC shop fulltime.
Sometime in November of 2004 I got a call from Jason at Suicidedoors.com and was asked about building and wholesaling tube arms for S-10s. Jason saw the need for S-10 tube arms that were tough and made for bags. He told me he was too busy to build them at the time. I sent him a test set and we continued from there. I could never imagine the response I got as soon as Jason put my parts in his ad. The calls came in so fast I couldnt believe it.
I did this until the orders overwhelmed me in April of 2006. I closed BYC and regrouped. I know now that if I had a faster auto bender, a lathe and a little more capital, parts and materials I could have made it. I should have downsized the shop and not done any bag jobs or bodywork jobs. It takes up too much room and makes for too much overhead in a shop.
I have now reopened back in Wylie as Dallas Hotrod Parts in a small shop at home. I am now making parts once again. I will not get too much overhead again and I will not make the same mistakes I made at BYC. I will get back into this slow and cautiously as I ramp back up to production. I still see a need in the scene for tube arms for all kinds of trucks. Theres too many people out there stressing their stock balljoints on stock arms. I will try my best in the future to fill this need with quality parts. please check back often for updates.
The current plan calls for me to make old orders and new parts by building several sets of what I owe, send the old orders, sell the rest and have parts in stock. I also plan to introduce a new set every 3 to 6 months. I am currently working on Mighty Max, S-10 and Toyota. I have several others lined up to build. As I get ramped up I should be able to make the new items faster and faster until I have a nice even flow of new items and stocking old items.
If you have any questions or comments,
please email me at
Mike@Dallashotrodparts.com
